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The Most Surprising Stats About Dogs and Cats

7 November 2017

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Pet Wants

One of the many things that makes being a pet parent so fulfilling is there’s always something new to learn or observe about your pet. In that spirit, we want to share some interesting stats about dogs and cats:

Cats Outnumber Dogs

There are 86 million pet cats across the United States. The number of pet dogs clocks in at 78 million. While there are clearly more pet cats than dogs, this stat has an interesting twist. 39% of households in the US have a dog, compared with just 33% having a cat. The root of this twist is cat owners are more likely to have multiple pets than dog owners. 52% of cat parents have more than one, compared to just 40% of dog owners.

On a less fun note, the best estimates for stray animals are incredibly high. It’s possible that there are over 70 million stray cats just in the US. According to experts, between two and four million puppies are born in mills every year. The good news is 88% of pet cats and 78% of pet dogs are believed to be spayed or neutered.

Part of the Family

Cat owners are more likely to have a female pet than a male. The majority of both dog and cat owners see their pets as part of the family. The exact breakdown is 79% for dog owners and 63% for cats owners.

75% of households with a dog take their pet on car rides, compared with just 8% of cats. 34% of households report taking their dog along on family vacations, in contrast to only 11% who bring their cats.

Where Pets Relax and Sleep

Although pet cats are more homebodies than dogs, they still have it pretty good. That’s because 70% of cat owners let their pet relax on furniture around the house, compared to just 40% of dog households. The same is true for sleeping at night, with 65% of cats having access to their owner’s bed and only 39% of dogs having this privilege.

Senses

While dogs are known for having an incredible sense of smell, cats take the crown when it comes to hearing. If you’re wondering how humans compare as well, cats can hear high-frequency sounds that are up to two octaves higher than a human can detect.

Brains are another interesting point of comparison. When you look at the biology of a cat’s brain, it has more similarities to humans than dogs. A big part of this is the fact that both humans and cats have identical brain regions that are responsible for emotions.